Why Is Hell Eternal?

Why Is Hell Eternal?

Why is hell eternal? Now, this is something that many people have a hard time understanding because we look at our own justice system and there is a punishment that is usually associated with the crime. So if you steal something, usually you do not have the same sentence as someone who murdered somebody. When we look at God's law, it seems that even one lie carries the punishment of eternal death. People think somehow that seems unfair. Now when we say, why is hell eternal? Let me start by saying it is not actually hell, that is eternal. It's the Lake of fire is the final resting place. We see that hell, which is sometimes referred to as Hades in Revelation 20:14 that death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire at that Great White Throne Judgment. So Hades, which is often referred to as hell, is a temporary place. Those that are there will eventually be thrown into the Lake of Fire, which is the permanent resting place. Now, why is it that hell or really the Lake of Fire is eternal? Why does sin against God carry an eternal punishment? That is the real question. The answer is this, God is infinitely Holy, infinitely just and because of His infinite nature, when we sin against Him, it carries an infinite consequence. So because we sin against Him, it takes forever to pay it. In other words, we never can pay it. God is that Holy.